Online air monitoring for Hamilton residents

Residents in a Canadian city will soon be able to access air monitoring data for their workplace, home or mobiles.

The Hamilton Air Monitoring Network is to launch its website on June 1st, bringing air quality information to users, the Spectator reports.

Using Microsoft Virtual Earth software, the site marks out the location of monitoring stations throughout Hamilton and allows visitors to view real-time data on a range of pollutants, as well as wind direction and speed.

People will be able to view hourly, weekly or monthly readings in table or graph form.

Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organisation has warned that air pollution is a growing problem in emerging cities.

Liisa Jalkanen from the organisation told AFP that recommended air quality limits are being exceeded in a range of South American and Asian cities. In contrast, most major European cities are making efforts to drive pollution down.